Referred to as the Tuk-tuk in parts of East Asia and the Auto-Rickshaw in India, Montra Electric is giving this ubiquitous trike the design and tech upgrade it’s needed for decades. Most auto-rickshaws (or called autos for short) run on either LPG or CNG, but Montra Electric is shifting them to an electric powertrain with a respectable top speed of 55km/h (34/1mph) and a range of over 150 kilometers (93+ miles) on a full charge. Designed primarily for last-mile commutes, these rickshaws and tuk-tuks can be found dotted across the Asian landscape, helping passengers (and even cargo) get from points A to B.
Designer: Raghavendra Acharya (Montra Electric)
The vehicle’s design sticks to its familiar format, but turns up the sleekness with chiseled surfaces, a distinct forward-leaning silhouette, clean lines, and a unique front fascia disrupted by a central black graphic. The rear features cute-looking circular taillights and a downward-opening tailgate for boot storage. On the inside, the auto-rickshaw seats three (or even four) including a driver in front who operates the vehicle using motorbike-inspired handlebars. The handlebars are now surrounded by a redesigned dashboard featuring an OLED display that elevates the entire vehicle’s driving experience. Unlike most rickshaws and tuk-tuks, the Montra Electric Rickshaw also gets secure doors for both the driver/rider as well as the passengers behind, along with redesigned seats featuring higher backrests and extra legroom. All this, while maintaining a judicious balance between aesthetic opulence and an affordable price point of $3,700 USD.
The redesigned auto-rickshaw is also accompanied by a new rider experience in the form of an app that helps them monitor the status of their vehicle, track their daily earnings, and even digitally store all their important documents and IDs.
The Montra Electric ‘Super Auto’ is a Winner of the Red Dot Award: Design Concept for the year 2023.
The post The Asian Tuk-tuk gets an Electrified Upgrade and a Slick Design Makeover first appeared on Yanko Design.
